Behind the leash & lens

 Growing up, I was always drawn to dogs despite being highly allergic. So, I did what any determined, dog-obsessed, allergic kid would do and applied to every local dog facility as soon as I could work, and luckily, I got hired. It was a crowded kennel with long, exhausting days and every kind of personality on four paws. But that’s where I found my rhythm. I loved reading the room, calming the chaos, and understanding dogs in a way that felt instinctive. People around me noticed it long before I did. Suddenly, I was being handed the nervous dogs, the “difficult” ones, the “troublemakers,” and somehow, we always connected. 

Pictured: Enjoying the morning hanging out with a nervous newcomer who decided hanging out on my back was the safest spot in daycare. Next to me, my first dog, Bella (chow-chow mix) 2018

My first experience with real dog training started while I was still working in the daycare yard. A visiting trainer watched me handle the group one day and told my manager, “She knows what she’s doing, keep her.” That small comment completely shifted how I saw myself with the dogs, and it gave me the confidence to take training seriously.

I eventually connected with the company I would later certify with, jumping straight into private lessons and helping teach group classes. Seeing how much dogs could change in just a few weeks and watching the relief it brought their owners made the work feel meaningful. And when the dogs who struggled the most behaviorally started getting handed my way, it pushed me even deeper into understanding behavior work.

Pictured: my boy Kairo and me hiking in 2025. I brought him home in 2022 and poured everything I had learned into him. Raising him with intention and structure shaped him into the demo dog he is today!

In the years since I first started training, my approach has grown just as much as I have. I’ve learned to bring more fun and personality into my training because dogs aren’t robots — they thrive when structure and joy go hand in hand. Bond-building exercises, clear communication, and play have become just as important to me as those obedience reps.

I’ve also had to unlearn some methods I was taught early on that no longer align with who I am as a trainer. Growth has meant questioning old habits, refining what I teach, and choosing approaches that feel fair, effective, and true to the dog in front of me.

Today, training is the craft I continue to shape with every dog I meet. I lead with calmness, clarity, and empathy, and I take pride in helping both dogs and owners build relationships that actually last. This work has shaped me just as much as I’ve shaped the dogs I train, and that’s what keeps me passionate about doing it every single day.

Pictured: my puppy, Demi and I practicing our focused heel at club together. Raising her to be a wild child and hopefully you'll see us on trial fields!